Is Hydrogenated Tallowalkonium Bentonite natural? NOI 0.90

Q: Is Hydrogenated Tallowalkonium Bentonite natural?

Hydrogenated Tallowalkonium Bentonite has a Natural Origin Index (NOI) of 0.90 (scale 0–1) per ISO 16128. Bentonite is mined clay and the hydrogenated tallow chain is animal fat, while the quaternary nitrogen, methyl groups and benzyl group come from petrochemical ammonia, methyl ch… An NOI of 0.90 means 90% of its molecular mass is traceable to a natural, renewable source.

How we scored it

Per 100 g clay at 100 meq: clay 97.7 g + tallow C18H37 25.4 g natural; N, two CH3 and benzyl 13.5 g petrochemical; 123.1/136.6 = 0.90.

What counts. ISO 16128-2 scores the atoms that remain in the final ingredient. Reagents, solvents, catalysts and protecting groups used during manufacture leave no mass behind and are not counted.

Where it comes from

Dominant route ion-exchanges sodium bentonite with hydrogenated tallow alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride (assumed from the alkonium name) at roughly 100 meq per 100 g clay. Loading and cation structure are assumed, so the value is approximate.

In plain English

A thickener made by treating bentonite clay with a fatty quaternary ammonium compound based on hydrogenated beef tallow, so the clay swells in oils and solvents. The clay is mined; the ammonium part is made in a chemical plant.

CosIng definition: Hydrogenated Tallowalkonium Bentonite is the product of the reaction of Hydrogenated Tallowalkonium Chloride and Bentonite

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References

1ISO 16128-1:2016 and ISO 16128-2:2017 — Guidelines on technical definitions and criteria for natural and organic cosmetic ingredients and products. ISO, Geneva.
2HYDROGENATED TALLOWALKONIUM BENTONITE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
3HYDROGENATED TALLOWALKONIUM BENTONITE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=HYDROGENATED%20TALLOWALKONIUM%20BENTONITE